EC to expunge
non-functioning political parties - Mr Adeenze-Kangah
Cape Coast, June 29,
Ghanadot/GNA – Mr David Adeenze-Kangah, Deputy
Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), said at the
weekend that non-functioning and “ghost” political parties
would be expunged from the electoral register.
He said the period for nurturing political parties was over,
adding “we will strictly enforce the Political Parties Act
574 and other relevant legislation on the operations of
political parties in the country to ensure that sanity
prevails on the national political front”.
Speaking to newsmen at Cape Coast during a three-day seminar
on the theme “Dialogue with Media on 2008 Election
Reportage,” Mr. Adeenze-Kangah called on the media to
support the EC to clear “ghost” political parties that are
not functioning from its records.
He explained that the Commission in 2007 undertook an
exercise on the “Assessment of the Political Parties,” which
involved nationwide visits to the premises of all registered
political parties to inspect their books and assess their
operations.
Mr. Adeenze-Kangah said the next phase of the exercise which
was suspended due to the 2008 Elections, was aimed at
clearing all non-functioning political parties.
He said some of the parties had changed their registration
locations, executive members, and amended their
Constitutions but had failed to notify the Commission.
Others had also closed their offices, failed to elect
national, regional, and constituency executives and had not
participated in any electoral activity since the 2000
general election, Mr Adeenze-Kangah noted.
He said Act 574 mandated every political party to
participate in shaping the political will of the people,
disseminate information on political ideas, undertake social
and economic programmes of a national character, and sponsor
candidates for public elections other than elections to
District Assemblies or lower local government units.
The law also prohibits the formation of political parties
based on ethnic or religious lines. “No political party
shall be formed on ethnic, gender, religious, regional,
professional or other sectional divisions, or uses words,
slogans or symbols which could create ethnic, gender,
regional, professional or other sectional divisions,” he
stated.
Mr Adeenze-Kangah said the law also indicates that a
political party’s internal organization should conform to
democratic principles and its actions and purposes should
not be contrary to or inconsistent with the Constitution.
Mr Eric A. Opoku, a Governance Programme Analyst of the
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), sponsors of the
seminar, commended the media for their contribution towards
the success of last year’s elections.
Other speakers included Mr. S. Yorke Aidoo, EC Director of
Human Resource and General Service, and Mr. Christian Owusu-Parry,
Acting Director of Public Affairs.
GNA
